How does a workplace risk assessment determine first aid requirements?

August 16, 2026

Photograph of a worker undertaking a workplace first aid risk assessment at work.

Unfortunately, fulfilling workplace first aid requirements isn’t as easy as buying a basic first aid cabinet and fixing it to the wall, or tossing a standard first aid bag into a vehicle, and then setting and forgetting.

Every Australian workplace is different, with different hazards, working environments, numbers of workers, locations and emergency response needs. Construction sites, commercial kitchens, offices, warehouses and remote mining operations all require very different first aid resources.

That’s why conducting a workplace risk assessment is so important. It provides a practical way to identify what could go wrong, what type of injury or illness could occur and what first aid resources are needed to respond effectively.

Safe Work Australia recommends starting the process by considering the hazards, size and location of the workplace, as well as the people who may be present, including workers, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers and visitors.

The result should be a first aid system designed around the workplace. Not a workplace trying to fit itself around a generic first aid kit.

When a workplace risk assessment is done properly, it helps determine what equipment, facilities, training and emergency procedures are needed to ensure the best possible response when an incident occurs.

Why a first aid risk assessment is more than a compliance exercise

It’s tempting to dismiss a first aid risk assessment as another box to tick on the long list of work health and safety obligations.

But its real purpose is much more important: to ensure help can reach an injured or unwell person quickly with suitable resources in the hands of knowledgeable responders.

A risk assessment helps answer questions that a standard checklist cannot. What injuries are most likely to occur? How serious could they be? How quickly could professional medical assistance arrive? Are workers spread across multiple buildings or work areas? Are there hazardous substances, machinery or vehicles? Is the workplace in a remote location that requires additional first aid equipment?

Safe Work Australia describes first aid requirements as being unique to each workplace and therefore should be based on specific factors, including hazards, workplace size and location.

The assessment should be reviewed regularly, and workers should be consulted about first aid arrangements.

Start by identifying the hazards that could cause injury or illness

The first step is to look at the nature of the work itself.

Rather than beginning with a list of first aid products, start by asking what could occur to injure or make someone ill.

A workplace that handles hot materials may present a significant burn risk, while a workshop might need to prepare for cuts, crush injuries and eye injuries. A laboratory may have chemical exposure risks, while a remote workplace might come with additional challenges simply because medical help is further away.

Consider the tasks being performed, the equipment being used, substances being handled and the physical environment where the work occurs.

Particular attention should be given to hazards such as:

Machinery and moving equipment
Chemicals and hazardous substances
Electricity
Heat, flames and hot surfaces
Working at heights
Manual handling
Vehicles
Sharp tools and objects
Slips, trips and falls
Biological hazards
Remote or isolated work

The aim isn’t to predict every possible accident. It’s to identify the foreseeable injuries and illnesses that influence the workplace’s first aid arrangements.

Consider how serious the injuries could be

Identifying hazards is only half the process. The next question is what could happen if something goes wrong.

A workplace may have a relatively low likelihood of an incident occurring, but the consequences could still be severe. An electrical incident, for example, may be uncommon but could result in serious injury or death. Similarly, a chemical splash to the eye may happen infrequently but requires an immediate and appropriate response.

The assessment should therefore consider both the likelihood of injury or illness and the potential severity.

This helps determine whether basic first aid supplies are sufficient or whether additional equipment, facilities or training may be needed.

Think beyond the first aid kit

One of the most valuable insights to be gained from a risk assessment is that first aid requirements are about much more than what’s inside a kit.

Safe Work Australia’s guidlines identify three broad areas for consideration: equipment, facilities and trained first aiders.

Equipment might include one or more first aid kits, specialised modules, or additional supplies appropriate to identified hazards. Facilities might include a first aid room, emergency shower, eyewash station or defibrillator. Trained first aiders are needed to put those resources into action.

A workplace might have a fully stocked first aid kit and still be under-prepared if it doesn’t contain a hazard-related module, there aren’t enough trained first aiders, or workers can’t access the kit at a particular time.

How workplace size affects first aid requirements

The number of people at a workplace is another important consideration.

Having more workers on-site generally means there’s a greater chance that someone will require first aid, while physically large or dispersed workplaces can make it more difficult for assistance to reach an injured person quickly.

Safe Work Australia recommends, as a general guide, one first aider for every 50 workers in a low-risk workplace, one for every 25 workers in a high-risk workplace and one for every 10 workers in a remote high-risk workplace.

These figures shouldn’t be treated as a substitute for assessing the actual workplace.

Factors such as shift patterns, worker locations, leave and absenteeism also need to be considered so that adequate first aid coverage is maintained when people actually need it.

Location can change the requirements completely

Two workplaces with the same number of employees may need very different first aid arrangements simply because they are in different locations.

An office located next door to a medical centre has a very different emergency response profile from a remote construction project several hours from professional medical assistance.

Distance, accessibility, transport arrangements and emergency response times should therefore form part of the assessment.

Remote and isolated workers may require additional first aid training, equipment and communication arrangements.

Safe Work Australia specifically identifies remote or isolated work as a circumstance where first aiders may require additional training.

Match first aid supplies to the injuries most likely to occur

Once workplace hazards have been identified, the contents of the first aid kit can be tailored accordingly.

Every workplace should have at least one first aid kit. Safe Work Australia recommends that kits be positioned where workers can see and access them quickly.

Additional kits may be appropriate where workplaces are spread out or where there are higher-risk areas.

The contents should reflect the risk assessment. For example, a workplace with significant burn hazards may need additional burn dressings. A workplace where eye injuries are foreseeable may need suitable eyewash facilities.

A workplace with hazardous substances may require specialised emergency equipment and additional first aid training.

This is where a risk assessment turns a generic first aid kit into a more specific workplace resource.

Don’t forget vehicles, contractors and visitors

First aid arrangements shouldn’t stop at the front door.

If workers drive as part of their duties, their work vehicle must carry first aid kits as recommended by Safe Work Australia.

An assessment should also consider contractors, subcontractors, volunteers and visitors. These people may well be exposed to workplace hazards even though they aren’t employees.

Thinking about everyone who could reasonably be affected yields a much more effective first aid plan.

When does a workplace need a first aid room?

A first aid room isn’t necessary for every workplace.

The risk assessment should determine whether providing first aid would otherwise be difficult. Factors can include the size and nature of the workplace, the types of injuries that could occur and how quickly medical assistance can be obtained.

Safe Work Australia recommends providing a first aid room in low-risk workplaces with 200 or more workers and high-risk workplaces with 100 or more workers.

Again, these are recommendations within the model guidance rather than a universal substitute for assessing the circumstances of an individual workplace.

Training is part of the risk assessment

Having first aid equipment available is only useful if someone knows how to use it.

The risk assessment should therefore determine how many trained first aiders are required and whether additional skills are necessary because of specific workplace hazards.

For example, workers in a workplace with dangerous substances may require additional training. Remote workplaces may need first aiders with broader capabilities because professional medical assistance may take longer to arrive.

First aiders should also maintain their knowledge through regular training and refresher education.

Consult workers before finalising first aid arrangements

The people doing the work usually have the clearest understanding of where and how the risks are present.

Consulting workers can reveal practical problems that may otherwise be missed. Perhaps the existing first aid kit is too far from the production floor.

Maybe the designated first aider works a different shift. Or perhaps workers regularly move between buildings and cannot easily access the equipment they need.

Safe Work Australia recommends consulting workers when assessing first aid needs.

Consultation turns the assessment from a management exercise into a practical workplace safety process.

Review first aid requirements when the workplace changes

A first aid risk assessment should never be considered permanently finished.

Workplaces change. New machinery is installed, processes are redesigned, staffing levels fluctuate, buildings are expanded and new chemicals or materials are introduced. Each change can alter the first aid requirements.

The assessment should therefore be reviewed regularly and whenever circumstances change significantly.

If you had an emergency tomorrow, would your current first aid arrangements still be appropriate?

If the answer isn’t an immediate yes, it’s probably time to review them.

Conclusion

A workplace risk assessment determines first aid requirements by looking at the real risks faced by the people working there.

It considers the hazards that could cause injury or illness, the likely severity of those incidents, the size and location of the workplace, who may be present, how quickly medical assistance can arrive and the availability of trained first aiders.

The result should be a practical first aid system that brings together the right equipment, facilities, training and procedures. For Australian businesses, that means moving beyond the idea that workplace first aid is simply a box on the wall.

The best first aid arrangements are designed around the workplace they serve. When the assessment is thorough, regularly reviewed and informed by the people doing the work, businesses are better prepared to respond quickly, confidently and effectively when an incident occurs.